Lesson 6


James 4



This next section is the logical follow up from the previous chapter. Now James speaks in general to the community and not specifically to the teachers.

I. Prayer with Anger and Desire 4:1-3

 1What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?2You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.3You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.



One must come to the conclusion that there are some conflicts in the Christian community. Their conflicts are not doctrinal or about what is true or not true but they are about “pleasures.”

ἡδονή (hēdonē, 2237), -ῆς, ἡ, (ἥδομαι), [Simon. 117, Hdt. down], pleasure: 2 Pet. ii. 13; plur., Lk. viii. 14 (αἱ ἡδοναὶ τ. βίου); Tit. iii. 3; Jas. iv. 3; by meton. desires for pleasure (Grotius, cupiditates rerum voluptariarum), Jas. iv. 1. [This definition cites every instance of this word in the Greek NT.

Perhaps a better word might be “your desires.” Here we have a description of those desires. “They are fighting in your members.” Some take this to mean that there is trouble between several members but this is not likely the case. 1. James has alrady used melos twice for the human body. 2. The normal use of this word is for the human body. This is the “double minded person” who has war within self. But__they are guilty of “lust” and because of this lust they commit “murder.”

ἐπιθυμέω (epithumeō, 1937), -ῶ; [impf. ἐπεθύμουν]; fut.ἐπιθυμήσω; 1 aor. ἐπεθύμησα; (θυμός); fr. Aeschyl. down; Sept. for אִוָּה and חָמַד; prop. to keep the θυμός turned upon a thing, hence [cf. our to set one’s heart upon] to have a desire for, long for; absol. to desire [A. V. lust], Jas. iv. 2; to lust after, covet, of those who seek things forbidden, Ro. vii. 7; xiii. 9 (fr. Ex. xx. 17); 1 Co. x. 6, (4 Macc. ii. 6); κατά τινος, to have desires opposed to [A.V. lust against] a thing, Gal. v. 17 [B. 335 (288)]; τινός, to long for, covet a thing, Acts xx. 33; 1 Tim. iii. 1; of sexual desire, γυναικός, Mt. v. 28 Rec. [see below] (παιδὸς ἢ γυναικός, Xen. an. 4, 1, 14; with the gen. also in Ex. xxxiv. 24; Prov. xxi. 26; xxiii. 3, 6; Sap. vi. 12; Sir. xxiv. 19 (18), etc.); contrary to the usage of the better Grk. writ. with the acc. of the object, Mt. v. 28 L Tr (WH br.), and without an obj. Tdf. (Ex.xx. 17; Deut.v. 21; Mic. ii. 2; Sap. xvi. 3; Sir. i. 26 (23), etc.; cf. W. § 30, 10 b.); as often in Grk. writ., foll. by the inf.: Mt. xiii. 17; Lk. xv. 16; [xvi. 21]; xvii. 22; 1 Pet. i. 12; Rev. ix. 6; foll. by the acc. with the inf. Heb. vi. 11; ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἐπεθύμησα I have greatly desired, Lk. xxii. 15; cf. W. § 54, 3; B. § 133, 22 a. [This definition cites every instance of this word in the Greek NT.]

Here is the point that James is trying to make. Rather than all this fighting__why don't you just ask God?

Verse 3___You ask and you do not receive? These people are praying. However, these prayers are not good but evil. These prayers are to fulfill lust. Thus, the prayer will not be heard for the motives are totally selfish and worldly.

II. Condemnation of Compromise___4:4-6___

 4You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

 5Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?

 6But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

Verse 4___”Adulteresses!” I don't think this is an indictment of a particular person or group as committing adultery. Israel's history with YHWH has been one of adultery and here James is reminding them of this fact (the entire book of Hosea, not to mention Jeremiah). Even Jesus used this term in this manner when he called them “an adulterous generation.” The terms James uses tell us how that adultery takes place. James links friendship with the world, as hostility to God.

Verse 5___Like many other NT writers, to buttress his points, James quotes Scripture. We do not know for sure what Scripture James is citing here. The citation of Pr. 3:34 LXX in 4:6 is a given but what is cited in 4:5? It is possible that James is quoting an unknown version of the OT or at least a translation that is lost to us. Other than that, James may be quoting from some unknown or lost apocryphal work. The meaning of this verse should not be questioned. We are told in Acts2:38 when we are baptized that we receive the “gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Verse 6___ God is a jealous creator. He created the human spirit for fellowship with Himself so we ought no be surprised that He is unhappy when we seek the world instead. God resists the proud but has compassion on the humble. The call, then, is to submit to God. If one remains proud and continues to seek the world, expect not to find God. But all is not lost. There is still an even greater graciousness to God. If one will simply humble oneself, God will extend His grace and mercy.

III. A Call to Repentance 4:7-10

 7Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

 9Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

 10Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Verse 7__According the James God will grant his grace (forgiveness) to the humble. Therefore the readers must submit to God. The rest of this section explains how this is to be be accomplished. (See Psalm 37:7-9).

To submit to is to “resist” the devil. In most passages where this is mentioned in the NT the resistance is done either by “good works” or a “total commitment to God.” For James, there is little or no difference between the two concepts. We have a better look at James' theology. His previous statement that testing arose from the evil impulse (1:13-15) was to deny that God was the source. Now James tells us (as in 3:3, 15) that behind the evil impulse lies the devil. There are “suprapersonal” forces of evil behind personal evil.

Verse 8__ We are told to “draw near to God.” This is an extension of the idea that to resist the devil we need to draw near to God. God will not be unresponsive. This is the idea of moral purity. “Pure hands” will do good works and “pure hearts” will be totally committed. What will hinder the walk or drawing near is to be “double minded.”

Verse 9___The Purification demanded ought to take form in “repentance.” This “repentance” needs to show inner sorrow and wretchedness experienced when realizing their condition. This “inner attitude” is to be matched by an outer expression, i.e. mourning and weeping. On the one hand this is the proper response to outward danger and distress (Ps. 69:10-11) and on the other hand, the fear of God's judgment.

Verse 10___ Such true repentance will not be without results. God will give grace to the humble. The point is clear. Not all is lost. Self-abasement and repentance is needed to gain the true exaltation which comes not from the world but from God.

IV. Pure Speech is Condemning 4:11-12

 11Do not speak against one another, brethren He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

Verse 11__ Our author is ending a large segment on community conflict. He has traced this to worldliness which earned these readers a strong rebuke. James reminds that the divided heart expresses itself in inner community strife (4:1) including the putting down of others (3:9-12). Here is his point. One must not speak against or criticize one's fellow brother in Christ. To do so, puts one in the place of God. (The Law was from God). Such criticism also violates the law of “love thy neighbor.” The command not to slander another person is will known in the OT. (Lv. 19:16; Pss. 50:20; 1015; Pr. 20:13). The reason not to slander is that by attacking or setting oneself as a judge over a community member, one is actually breaking the law which one claims to be upholding. If a person can judge with respect to the law, he is no longer under the law, but a judge and above the law.

Verse 12___When one sets themselves up as judge that person has usurped the role of God. God is the lawgiver and no one else. Thus, usurping His judging authority is really blaspheming God, since that person “takes the place of God.”

V. The Test of Wealth 4:13-17

 13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

 15Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."

 16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

 17Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Verse 13___ “Come now” this is the only place in the NT this is found. James now addresses the merchants. These merchants are making typical plans. These plans have but one thing in mind, which is making a profit.

Verse 14___ James points out their foolishness. They do not understand how little control they have over their own lives. Life appears and then it disappears. One who truly understands this fact will not spend so much time making plans.

Verse 15___ Here is the point, God has full control over human life. “If the Lord wills” is the proper attitude. We will live and do this or that assumes planning is proper. Be sure and not leave out “the will of God.”

Verse 16___ In this case, these merchants do not have the proper attitude. They boast and are arrogant. This attitude which plans as if God does not exist is evil. “All such boasting is evil.” These are people who have shut God out of their commercial lives.

Verse 17___The author concludes by a maxim. This is a summary. First, this is not speaking of sins of omissions per se, but of acts which one knows one ought to do and does not do. Second, it is clear that the surface good one ought to do is to plan with a conscience toward God. Failure to do this is not just a bad thing or foolish but______ SIN. Third, the context is that of business merchants whose interests lead them to forget God and thus, all the Christian warnings about greed and hoarding (e.g. Lk. 12:13-21).


by Lane Rogers